If Our Paths Do Cross
by AdriDark
Summary: Aalene is a powerful mutant with her own style. After crossing paths with Pyro, she is faced with questions...and choices. Which side will she stand with? Will her dark side control her? Kind of a PyroOC.
1. Confrontation

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, 'cept Aalene. However, I _wish_ I owned Angel, Pyro, and Storm.**

**This takes place after X-Men 3 so there are some spoilers. You have been warned.**

* * *

She knew she was different. For years, Aalene had been capable of certain things that many people considered strange. She had seen it on the news, read about it in the papers-people like her were considered a threat and hated by many. Outcasts, the world had branded them with a name, throwing them into their own caste. Aalene was a mutant.

At a very young age, she began to notice her peculiarities. In those tender years, she had seen them as a curse but slowly, as time passed, she warmed up to them. She would practice them in secret, eventually achieving levels of power that, before, she could only imagine. But with the power, came a price.

Aalene had often witnessed the prejudice other mutants had experienced. Even her own family would frown in disgust when speaking of them. Fearing rejection that the world so often offered mutants, Aalene kept her gift a secret for years. But that, like so many things in her life, eventually fell apart.

Looking back, Aalene never could tell where she "went bad". There wasn't really an exact moment where she had decided to hate normal people. Or to use her gift for less than honorable activities. Her morals-and her heart along with them- decayed slowly. Her parents' reaction when they finally caught her practicing her mutant abilities just cemented what she had already believed.

Now, things were different. Aalene was through crying and feeling sorry for herself because of her parents' rejection. They were pathetic, miserable creatures who didn't understand how special she really was. But soon, they would know. The whole world would.

_Shit. Security Cameras. _Cursing herself, Aalene promptly stole the energy from the devices, storing it within herself for later use. She let a smile slip. Mutants were the ones who _really_ had the upper hand, she realized. Mortals had their precious politics but mutants had more significant advantages in the long run.

Continuing through the bank, Aalene smiled with a bit more arrogance. She had taken out every alarm trigger and security camera in the lobby. Now, it was time for the fun part. The mutant made her way toward the bank vault with poised purpose, every step multiplying her adrenaline by a thousand.

But Aalene never made it. In a blast of fire, the bank's window shattered, sending glass everywhere. Aalene fell backward, the flames licking at her face, threatening to burn her flesh. It took a moment for her to recover and when she did, the scene before her filled her with rage…

A boy her age was standing in the middle of the bank's lobby, surveying the damage he'd caused with a smirk. In both his hands, glowed balls of sheer fire, coming out of what seemed to be a strange mechanism on his wrist. He was definitely a mutant. And he was trying to rob the bank!

In fury, Aalene used her stored up energy to lift herself off the ground into the air. "Hey, hot shot!" She called, "You might want to move along. This bank is _mine_." Her eyes narrowed, threateningly.

The boy turned to her, a confused look on his face. But suddenly, he realized what was happening and he smiled evilly. A mutant, slightly younger than himself, was challenging him. "You chose the wrong bank, kid. I'm not someone you want to mess with." Fire flared up around Aalene as the other mutant directed it to, getting dangerously close to her bare skin.

A spark of fury started to burn in Aalene. "Yeah? Neither am I." With startling calm, she summoned all of the stolen energy and forgot all restraint. This guy was obviously a formidable opponent. Judging from his energy, Aalene guessed he was at least a class four mutant. Forget the bank. _This_ would be fun.

With the amount of energy Aalene was summoning, it was important that she always keep her center. Just a tiny slip and she could easily lose control. Clasping her hands together, Aalene closed her eyes, and willed the energy forth. When her eyelids fluttered back open, the other mutant was on the ground, caught off guard by the force of the blow. But he was quickly recovering. "Hey, hot shot. You never did tell me your name." She knew it was cocky but she had a right to be.

The other mutant smirked, but seemed to have a bit more respect for Aalene. "Pretty impressive. Colleages call me Pyro...John." Flames burst from the mechanism hidden by his sleeve and he directed them towards her, the smirk still on is face. The fire singed Aalene's hair successfully and he laughed. "How about you, Miss Energizer Bunny?"

"Well,I'm usually known as Legacy. But you can call me Aalene.So, are we going to just stand here and talk or we gonna keep fighting. As interesting as you are, I still find the latter more fun." Aalene strained to bring every ounce of energy she had stolen to the forward part of her mind. She concentrated on the mutant before her and willed the energy forth. Although her efforts were honorable, the girl had little energy left to speak of. The attack was good but hardly enough to slow down Pyro.

He was already laughing at her expense. "You're joking right? Is that all you've got?" He glanced around and finally realized it. "It is! You don't have anything left to steal energy from, do you?" He seemed to savor the moment, relishing her panic as she watched the fire flare up around his hands. At the last minute, she saw a car go by outside. She got all the energy she could but it was too late. Before she could send it back at Pyro, he had already blasted her. She fell, semi-conscious, to the ground, as the police sirens finally began to wail.

Pyro looked over his shoulder, estimating how much time he had. As the squad cars sped around the corner, he drew nearer to Aalene. Stooping down, he pulled something out of his pocket and crammed into her hand. "I'll be back for this, Aalene." He whispered in her ear. And with that, he took off, leaving Aalene on the floor of the bank lobby.

Bleeding and in pain, Aalene was holding onto consciousness and sanity by a very thin thread. She whimpered softly and tried to move but the feat was impossible. Because of the amount of energy she was holding, the blast had not killed her. But the pain was mind numbing. She gripped her hand tightly around the object that Pyro had given her. It was a lighter. Surprisingly, the metal was cold, and it felt good against her skin. Aalene guessed that the lighter hadn't been used in some time. It was her last thought before she lost all consciousness, with a final cry of agony.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _Aalene groaned. What the hell was that incessant noise? What it was, she found it impossible to sleep through. _BEEP BEEP BEEP. Dammit, shut up! _Finally, she allowed her eyes to open, just a crack. Voices drifted into Aalene's state of consciousness and she tried her best to focus on them.

"We shouldn't have brought her here!" The first voice was a man's voice, sounding angry and brash. "You _know _what she was doing at that bank!" The voice was _definitely _angry- and definitely talking about her. "We should have left her to be the cops' problem."

"Logan." This voice belonged to a woman, calmer, but authoritative. "She was in pain. She needed medical attention."

"Well, she shouldn't have got in his way. And the cops could've called for some medical assistance." The man-whose name was Logan, apparently- seemed insistent and unyielding in his argument, "She's a liability now. She's a threat to this entire place."

"Just calm down, Logan. You know what the Professor taught us about power. And this girl has a lot of it. We can't stand by and let someone so powerful go bad. Plus, she's not really a threat. She's not evil. Just misguided." Whoever owned the calm voice reached out and touched Aalene's face. Her hands were soft. "She needs us. Trust me."

The voice named Logan snorted in reply. "Sure. But what about the lighter? Why did John leave his lighter behind?"

The woman didn't speak for a moment, possibly thinking. "Well, he now has those strange mechanisms to use, and he doesn't really need that old shark lighter anymore, does he?"

"No, he doesn't but I don't see John leaving it behind. Unless it served a purpose. Maybe it's a way of telling us that he's going to be back." He groaned. "That's the last thing we need around here. A disgruntled former student."

"Logan, I think, right now, we need to be focusing more on her." Aalene imagined the speaker to be pointing at her but she couldn't really be sure. "We'll deal with one thing at a time."

Logan just snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that."

A door slid open and then closed again. Aalene heard a sigh and allowed her eyes to open all the way. "Where am I?" She shuttered. Her voice sounded dry and raspy. She tried desperately to wet her lips but even her tongue lacked moisture.

A woman with dark brown skin and silver-grey hair stepped into Aalene's sight. "You're awake!" Concerning Aalene's question she smiled. "Don't worry. You are in a safe place. My name is Ororo but you can call me Storm."

With a cough, Aalene looked up at Storm. "Can I get some water?"

Storm nodded. "Sure." She walked to the other side of the room and filled a small glass with water. Handing it off to Aalene, she sighed again. "We know what you were doing in that bank."

Aalene had known that was coming. Sitting up, she took a huge gulp of water and replied. "I figure it was pretty obvious. We all have to look out for ourselves, you know?" This time, she was careful to take a smaller sip. "I just wanted to take back a little of what the world took away from me." Aalene handed the glass back to Storm.

Shaking her head, Storm took back the empty glass. "Now, that really isn't how you should look at it. You were given a wonderful gift, a beautiful face, your health. What more could you ask for?"

_A lot of things. _"Well for starters, how about a world where we're accepted? People treat me differently once they learn I'm a mutant. There's so much prejudice and hatred in the world." Aalene stopped herself. "You get the picture."

And she did. "You can't stay bitter forever, you know. Eventually, it'll eat away at you. Destroy you from the inside out." Storm tried to take Aalene's hand but the younger mutant drew away. "What's your name?"

Hesitating, Aalene wondered if she could really trust the strange woman standing in front of her. She didn't _seem_ like she was lying but Aalene knew that she couldn't always trust her instincts. Right now, however, it didn't really seem like she had another choice. "My friends call me Aalene."

"Well, hello, Aalene-,"

"But you can call me Legacy." Aalene said icily. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "I was burned alive…I know why I am not dead. But why am I not mutilated?"

That was a question Storm was still pondering. "Well, _Legacy_, maybe the blast was meant to hurt you but not cause any real damage. It was actually pretty easy to treat you. Oh and, we found you with this." Storm dug something out of her pocket and held it out to Aalene.

_The lighter._ Aalene reached out and took it. She held it in her hand, and felt the familiar cool of the metal. Pressing it against her face, Aalene welcomed the feeling. She finally flicked it open and clicked it on to produce a flame. She stared at it and finally remembered the significance of last night's outing. "Who was he?"

Yet another sigh came from Storm. "Oh, an old friend, you might say. He used to stay here but _he_ let his bitterness control him." She put her hand under Aalene's and prompted the younger mutant to curl her fingers around the lighter. "Come on. I'll show you around."

* * *

**Ok, my first attempted at an X-Men fan fiction. This story is not a PyroOC love story. There is a small love interest but for right now, it's really not a huge factor.**


	2. Settling In

**Okay, if I start typing in excessive italics, it means it's a flashback, peeps.**

* * *

Eric Lensherr stared down at the chess board before him. Yes, he discovered that he could now move the metal pieces. It had been a gradual process. Slow. But soon, he could move them all the way across the board. The cure was no longer working but Eric's early power had decreased greatly. He wasn't sure whether to celebrate or mourn.

Suddenly the man became aware of someone sitting down across from him. He didn't bother looking up at first but the person refused to leave. Finally, with an irritated sigh, he let his eyes wander upward to meet those of the stranger.

They knew each other.

"Well, hello, John." Eric manually moved a chess piece across the board. "Have you come to play?"

Pyro was surprised at Magneto calling him by his human name. "Pyro." He picked up a chess piece and held it out to Eric. "Don't you remember our cause?"

Eric laughed. "Yes, yes, of course I do. But unfortunately, I can no longer fight for it." He met Pyro's inquisitive eyes. "I was given the cure." Pausing, he let it sink in before continuing. "The long-term affects were never fully explored, however. I have regained some of my powers but my old strength is gone." He lifted the chess piece out of Pyro's hand and let it drop onto the board. "That is about the full extent of what I can do, anymore."

Without thinking, Pyro stood up and shoved all the pieces off the table, in a complete tantrum. "No! They can't do this!" He put his hands back on the table and leaned over it, trying to catch his breath. It couldn't end like this.

And maybe it didn't have to.

With sudden inspiration, Pyro looked into the eyes of his former mentor. "I think I might know someone who can help you with your little problem."

* * *

Xavier's School for Gifted was an impressive structure. Storm led Aalene down hallway after hallway, each one with rows of doors on both sides. How many rooms could there possibly be in this one building? But every now and then, she'd glance down at the lighter in her hands and click it on, watching the fire dance. Suddenly, she realized that Storm was talking to her.

"Professor Richard Xavier started this school a number of years ago for young mutants like you. Quite a few of them are runaways while others have parents who send them here under the impression that this is a prep school." Storm turned another corner and greeted some younger mutants with a smile. "We do offer academic classes along with classes to hone your abilities."

Aalene stopped walking and whirled around angrily, to face Storm. "Whoa there, Stormy. I might need a place to stay for a while but this is _not_ a long term deal. And I am definitely not going to your dumb school." She twisted a blue lock of hair between her fingers, defiantly.

Storm assumed that would be her response. With a small smile, she replied. "Well, I just hope you'll change your mind. This really is a fine school."

"Yeah," Aalene smirked. "And, of course, you're completely unbiased, despite the fact that you run it." She put her hands on her hips and looked up at Storm. "Let's just get this straight. I don't trust you, you don't trust me. Just let me do my thing, and you do yours. I think if we're careful, we can avoid crossing paths." She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Pursing her lips, Storm tried to control her temper. Instead of pursuing their previous conversation, she studied Aalene's strange hair. It was brown, naturally, but it appeared that Aalene had dyed it blue underneath. "What a strange hair color."

Aalene was fooling with the old shark lighter again. _Click, click, click._ She looked up at Storm with a smirk. "Says the young African-American with white hair."

_Touché._ The attitude was familiar. Storm was a little unsettled as she led Aalene farther into the school. "You'll be rooming with Kitty Pryde. I'm sure you'll get along just fine. She's a very sweet girl." She opened a door to a room with two beds, one messily thrown together and another that looked as if it hadn't been slept in for some time.

"Goodie." Aalene tucked the lighter away in her pocket and flopped onto the neatly made bed. "You'll have to forgive me if I look a fright. I didn't really have much time to pack many clothes." Her sarcasm was filled with venom as vibes of hostility seemed to fill the room.

Trying to force a smile on her face, Storm responded calmly. "I'm pretty sure a certain student, Ro-um, Marie could help you with that. You seem just about her size." She was about the leave the room when she paused at the door frame. "Oh, and try to stay out of trouble, Legacy." With that, she exited, leaving Aalene alone with her thoughts. At least for a time.

After merely a few minutes alone, Aalene heard laughing in the hallway and looked up from where she sat. Four teenagers were entering the room-two girls, and three guys. Upon seeing her, they all stopped their chatter and giggling, clearly puzzled. One of the girls, who seemed to be slightly younger than the rest, stepped forward. "Hi, my name is Kitty. You're new here, aren't you?"

Slightly irritated, Aalene leaned back on the bed. "No shit, Kitty. Did you see me living in your room yesterday?" She rolled her eyes. "The name's Legacy, roomie." She extended her hand, for a half-hearted handshake but Kitty just stared at it, seeming sort of wounded. Aalene just shrugged. _Suit yourself._

One of the boys, anxious to break the ice that was so evident in the room stepped forward. "Hi, my name is Warren." He pointed to the other two boys and the remaining girl standing beside him. "That's Peter, and that's Bobby, and that's his girlfriend, Marie."

As a greeting, Aalene just nodded. "So, you guys freaks too?" She felt in her pocket for her cigarettes but found none. "Damn it!" _The white-haired chick stole my cigarettes, _she realized. Looking up, she noticed the other teenagers' puzzlement. "Forget it."

"Well, I hope you'll find this place as welcome and helpful as I did." Warren once again tried to break up the discomfort in the room. "Hey, we were thinking about heading to the gardens to hang out. Do you want to join us?"

For the first time, Aalene noticed that Warren had wings, sprouting out of his back. She took a moment to admire them as she thought about her answer. "No, I think I'll just stay here." She said absent-mindedly as she stared at the magnificent wings. For a moment, she considered reaching out to touch them but she held back, and covered up her astonishment with another comment. "Crying shame, though. I really am great company." She smiled menacingly at Kitty. "See you around, roomie."

* * *

Upon reaching the gardens, Kitty finally recovered from the incident inside. Her face red with anger, she turned to the others. "What's _her_ problem?"

Peter seemed to have similar feelings towards the new girl. "She did seem a little rude."

"Well, we have to take into consideration that she's could have been through a lot." Marie remembered the circumstances that had brought her to Xavier's school. She shuddered as she remembered her first kiss…that had almost killed her boyfriend. "Maybe she's just trying to figure out who she is. _What_ she is."

Warren seemed to take Marie's side. "We just need to give her some time. She'll probably come around."

Everyone turned to Bobby, who still hadn't spoken. He seemed to be wrapped up in his own thoughts, turning something over and over in his mind. As far as the others could tell, what he was thinking about was causing him discomfort.

"Bobby? Bobby, what is it?" Marie reached out with her hands-now gloveless thanks to the cure-and grabbed her boyfriend's arm. "Is something bothering you?"

Finally breaking lose from his troubling thoughts, Bobby looked up. "Yeah, did Aalene remind you of anyone?" He looked up at Marie and Peter, the ones most likely to remember what he was talking about.

Peter shook his head. "No, she didn't really look familiar."

"No, no. I'm not talking about what she looks like. Her attitude. Does it remind you of anyone?" He looked at his girlfriend, urging her to think about it. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recognition and she responded.

"John." It came out almost like a whisper, but it was enough to successfully send a tiny bit of fear into everyone's heart.

Bobby nodded. "Pyro." He thought about it some more. The similarities were astounding-more than a little unsettling.

Everyone was silent. Even Kitty, who hadn't known John very well, herself, was quiet. Bobby took a moment to glance back the school, praying that he was wrong. He didn't think he could handle losing one more acquaintance to the wrong side.

* * *

Aalene stared in the mirror for a long time for those hours she was given alone. She studied every line of her face and every hair on her head. She took special notice to her eyes, a vibrant green that often turned a piercing blue when she used her powers. What did they hold? Hope? Or evil?

When she couldn't bare to look at herself any longer, Aalene grabbed the shark lighter off the dresser and walked briskly into the hallway. She passed by a kitchen, and then quickly retraced her steps. Walking to the counter, she sat down at a stool, and placed her hands against the hard, cold surface. Her encounter with the five other mutants had taken a lot out of her. She couldn't handle it, looking into the eyes of what she was, what she had denied for years.

"_Aalene? Aalene? Come on, talk to me. We've been best friend for years now. Just tell me what's on your mind." Charli Fane tried to get her friend to look her in the eye. "You can tell me anything. Don't you know that by now?"_

_A 13-year-old Aalene looked up, finally meeting her friend's gaze. "I have to leave, Charli. I have to leave tonight." She nervously wrung her hand. "They found out."_

_Face turning pale, Charli sat back on the old park bench, not sure how to comfort Aalene. The girl thought about it for a while, trying to figure out another course of action her friend could take. "Isn't there another option?"_

"_No." Aalene was adamant in her decision. "This is the only way. You should've seen the way the reacted when the found out. My mom was crying, acting wounded, like I had become a mutant on purpose, just to hurt her. And my dad…oh god, Charli. I've never seen him so angry." She closed her eyes, hoping to keep the bad memories out. "Good bye. Thanks for sticking with me this long."_

_Charli nodded, trying to keep tears from falling down her cheeks. "I'm going to miss you, Aalene."_

_Aalene couldn't even talk anymore, for fear of breaking down. She just nodded and got up, leaving her friend alone on the park bench. On that October night, Aalene had left a lot of things behind. An entire life…_

Coming back to reality, Aalene realized she was crying. Angrily, she wiped the tears away. Charli was dead and so was the Aalene the world had known. Nothing would ever be the same again and there would be no crying over it.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help but hear you crying. Are you alright?"

Aalene turned to see Warren giving her a concerned look from the doorway. He walked over and sat down beside her, the concerned expression never leaving his face.

"Oh, let me guess. You're the school's Good Samaritan?" Aalene was angry and suddenly irritable that Warren had caught her in a moment of weakness. She shot the sarcasm at him with fierceness that shocked even herself.

Warren just continued to stare at Aalene. "You use your sarcasm as a defense mechanism. You fear that if you just be yourself, or open up to someone, you'll get hurt. So you build up walls around yourself." He stated. "Walls even Kitty would have trouble walking through."

That was it for Aalene. The last straw. She stood up with such abruptness, her stool flew back. "Listen, dude! If this is your idea of making me feel better, you're a horrible counselor. I don't need to be analyzed!" she screamed at him. "Just leave me alone!" With that, she walked as quickly as she could toward her room.

As she reached it, Aalene threw open the door and went to her bed, where she could better think. She took out the lighter and began to play with it.

"Hey."

The girl looked up. It was Kitty Pryde. "Hi there, Kitty. Miss me much?"

Kitty just stared at Aalene, studying her tear-stained face. "Have you been crying?"

Aalene sighed and flopped back in her bed, pressing her pillow into her face. _How many do-gooders can there be in one school?_

* * *

**I liked half of this chapter. The other half just kind of...I don't know. Somethind didn't see right about it. Tell me what you think. The next chapter will hopefully be a little more interesting. Please review!**


	3. The Kiss of Death

**Okay, this chapter may not be the best. I apologize but it's been hectic. The normal end-of-the-year festivities and whatnot. At my school, they make a huge deal out of it with a promotion ceremony for the 8th graders and whatnot. And there was the pool party! Woohooo! Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Aalene rose with the dawn. Kitty was still asleep. In fact, it seemed that not even the birds had yet awoken. Their silence was unnerving, almost, filling the entire school with absolute quiet. But it was alright with Aalene. She liked it that way because it gave her a peaceful environment in which to think. It was something she had missed dearly upon leaving home.

With a yawn, Aalene sat all the way up in her bed and swung her legs over the side of it. She wiggled her toes in front of her and sighed with content. It would be fairly easy to get used to these conditions. A warm bed. A good night's sleep. Things people often took for granted were the things that Aalene treasured the most.

Sleeping in a park of bus station is cheap but not the safest option. With the prospect of being robbed, murdered, or raped to keep you company in the dark, sleep never really comes easily. Now, caught up in the luxury of safety and relative assurance, Aalene was almost happy-almost.

"So this is how the other half lives." Aalene muttered to herself. She quietly rose from her bed and walked to the door with the soft, hushed footsteps of bare feet.

Kitty stirred and Aalene paused, with everything in her that Kitty would not wake up to discover the early bird. The moment of panic faded as she sighed in her sleep and rolled up, most likely having an active dream.

Relief washed over Aalene as she opened the door and slipped silently into the hallway. Her suspicions were confirmed as she realized she was the only one awake. At least on the second floor. Aalene quietly made her way down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen. In a school this size, it would probably be a good idea to eat before the mad rush.

Halfway to the kitchen, Aalene stopped. She heard a familiar voice floating through the hallway. Following it, she came to a door, open slightly. She put her ear against it and tried to listen to the soft voice speaking on the other side.

"Are you sure, Doctor? It's really him?" It was good ol' Stormy. Her voice sounded tense, as if she was trying not to get too excited but was having trouble with it. "Can I talk to him?" There was a long pause and Aalene wondered if Storm had hung up. But then the voice came again. "Professor?" Aalene thought she heard tears in the woman's voice. Not the bad kind. It seemed bittersweet to her. Realizing that she was intruding on a personal call, Aalene quickly got up and went to the kitchen.

There was a lot of cereal. Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Trix, and Corn Pops seemed to fill all of the cabinets. Aalene wrinkled her nose at every choice. That sugary crap was disgusting. She finally settled for a granola bar that was hidden in the back, probably by someone who shared her view on the sugar-coated sugar cereal the other children seemed to enjoy.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop, you know."

Aalene jumped and whirled around to face the speaker, dropping her granola bar in the process. Storm was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, hands on her hips. By the woman's words and body language, the younger mutant could tell that she had been caught in her act of listening in.

"How'd you know?" Aalene bent down to pick up her fallen breakfast, and then rose to meet Storm's eyes, chagrined.

With a roll of her eyes, the woman explained. "I could hear you breathing on the other side of the door. When I found you in here, I just deduced it'd been you. No other students are usually up this early on a Saturday."

"Oh?" Aalene opened the wrapper of her granola bar and looked back at Storm. "Then, I guess I'm sort of an odd ball. Surprise, surprise." She rolled her eyes before taking a bite of her breakfast and chewing, thoughtfully. As she swallowed her first bite, Aalene sighed. "I don't get it." Her voice sounded a little like a child wandering in the woods, sad, lost, and alone.

Despite herself, Storm felt empathy for the girl. "You don't get what?" She reached out to put her hand on Aalene's shoulder and was a little surprised that the girl didn't pull away. Whether it was because of a change of heart or distraction, it was hard to determine.

Aalene studied the granola bar in her hand, needing something else to look at. Anything but into Storm's insightful eyes. "Me. Us. I don't know. We're all odd balls, I guess. But," She paused. "Doesn't it ever get to you? Being called horrible names and looked down on? The way they treat me…I just can't help but hate them."

It was surprising to Storm how familiar those words were. She, herself, had once felt the same way. "Aalene," Storm knew she was going out on a limb by calling the mutant by her real name. "It's perfectly normal to feel that way."

Green eyes full of questions, Aalene looked up at the older mutant.

"But someone once told me that we shouldn't be angry with them but pity them." Storm noticed the strange look that she received but continued. "He said that most of them will never believe anything beyond what they see with their own two eyes. And look at what we get to experience every day." She wondered if it would be going too far to give Aalene a hug, then realized she should probably draw a line somewhere. "You are an extraordinary girl. You're just a little different. That's all."

Aalene longed to ask another question. If it was normal to feel a growing tumor of darkness inside her heart and soul. She wanted to know why she felt so cold and indifferent towards so many things. She wanted to know if there really was something wrong with her. But she just held her tongue.

* * *

Pyro looked down at the mechanisms hidden by his long sleeves. He loved how easy it was to flick them on and produce flames to wield. But, and he hated to admit it, he missed his old lighter. He was longing for the moment when he would claim it back from the strange girl named Aalene.

Aalene.

The girl that could possibly solve Magneto's problem, therefore solving most of his.

Aalene.

The girl who he had met that night in the bank. Her wit had been biting, her power beautiful. She was like fire to him. Captivating and entrancing. But he knew getting too close could burn him. And that was a pain that might not be healed so easily.

"Pyro?"

Pyro looked up from where he sat on the hotel bed. It was Mystique. He couldn't help but let a smile slip. She had only been given one dose of the Cure so her abilities had recovered wonderfully. As soon as they returned, she had run back to Magneto, despite his obvious betrayal. And he had always thought her so strong and independent. "Yeah?"

"Just making sure everything is in order. I just talked to Prophecy and she thinks she knows where your girl is." Mystique answered, referring to one of the four new Brotherhood recruits.

_His girl._ He liked the sound of that.

"Yeah?" Pyro wondered how long he could keep the conversation going with monosyllable responses.

Mystique let a smile slip. "She's at the school."

That made Pyro stop for a moment and look up at Mystique with an unreadable gaze. Then, his face broke into a wide grin. "Perfect."

* * *

It seemed like Aalene was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or the right place at the right time. It really depended on how you looked at the situation. To Aalene, the strange things that always seemed to happen around her were very inconvenient and time consuming.

She was walking back to her room when she heard the scream.

Driven by instinct, Aalene ran towards the direction of the cry. "Man, why does this always happen to me?" She muttered. Turning a corner, she came onto a horrific scene and had to swallow hard to keep from gasping or worse, screaming.

Marie was kneeling over her boyfriend, Bobby, in the middle of the hallway. They were both still in their night clothes, and had most likely been partaking in "extracurricular activities" frowned on by the school. Marie was completely hysterical. Upon seeing Aalene, she looked up, tears overflowing from her eyes. "They're back. I just kissed him. I just thought…oh God, they're back."

Aalene ignored Marie's endless stream of babble and knelt down beside Bobby. She shoved the crying girl aside and checked his vitals. They were weak. "What the hell did you do?" She demanded.

"I just…I just." She still wasn't making sense.

"Marie?" Kitty had arrived on the scene. "Oh God, Rogue." She quickly wrapped the girl in her embrace. "I'm so sorry."

Aalene thought they were all crazy. "Marie-or Rogue is fine! I think Bobby is the one we need to be thinking about at the moment!" She noticed Peter running toward the group. "Peter! Go get Storm! Bobby needs her help!" She looked down at the fallen mutant and shuddered. "Or anyone's."

* * *

"Chill, Marie. Storm said he'd be out of the coma in a few days. What's the big deal?" Aalene led her classmate back to her room. She noticed Kitty giving her a look and she finally let a sigh out. "Okay, something is going right over my head and I want to know what it is, dammit!" She stopped and looked from Marie to Kitty and back to Marie again. "Well?"

Kitty looked at Marie and figured she was too fragile to answer. "Marie's power is…hindering, to say the least. When she touches people, she takes their life force."

"Oh my god! Are you kidding me? Then why the hell was she sucking face with him in the hallway?" These people were really starting to annoy Aalene. Her earlier vulnerability and remorse was quickly fading into irritation and anger.

"Well, she took the Cure. It was working. She thought it was okay." Kitty was on the verge of tears, now, herself.

Aalene couldn't take it anymore. She got right up in Marie's face and glared at her. "Face it. You're one of us. You're a freak. Get over it or go take the swan dive but stop crying." She turned on her heal angrily and walked back down the hallway, leaving Marie and Kitty in shock.

Halfway to her room, Warren bumped into her in the hall. "Hey, Aalene. I wanted to apologize for last night. I realize that-,"

"Save it." Aalene cut him off and kept walking.

Warren tried to block her path. "Okay, you're angry. I get it. Just let me-,"

"Get out of my way!" In a complete fury, Aalene stole energy from the lights around her and blasted Warren all the way across the hallway. It took a moment for the anger to fade and the horror to set in. She could already hear people coming. Fearful for herself, she ran and ran and ran. There was nothing else to do. She didn't stop until she was well into the expansive grounds. She was still in so much shock, she didn't notice the person standing behind her.

"We meet again, Aalene. I came back for my lighter."…

* * *

**Well, there it is. I wrote most of it last night, and to be truthful, it was more impressive last night. Ah well. I just wanted to get something up since I've been slacking off the last few days.**


	4. Dangerous Game

**Hey, I feel like the last chapter had a sort of rushed ending. I apologize. I hope this turned out a little better but I have always been my worst critic.

* * *

**

Aalene turned around to face the speaker and was surprised to find Pyro standing there, his hands in his pockets. She wasn't sure whether to greet him or attack him. His hands were in his pockets, making him seem rather harmless. But maybe he was trying to deceive her.

"Well, if you aren't going to be courteous enough to say hello, I'll just get on with it and tell you why I'm here." Pyro walked casually over to a rosebush and plucked a rose off with arrogance and held it out to Aalene with a smirk.

Giving him a look, which clearly told him to watch his step, Aalene accepted the flower. "If you are going to get on with it, then just do it. Stop wasting my time with your silly tokens of reconciliation." The girl narrowed her eyes at the boy before her. She didn't trust him and she was beginning to grow impatient and irritable.

Pyro could feel that feeling again. The growing attraction to that wit, that attitude. That _dangerous_ attraction. "Who said it was a token of reconciliation? Really, what we did in the bank was just some friendly sparring. Had it been anything else, you'd be dead."

"Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Time being wasted." Aalene rolled her eyes and pointed to an imaginary watch on her wrist. "Make this quick, hot shot. I really need to get out of here."

Yes, he had noticed her nervous behavior-her frequent paranoid glances over her shoulder. Something must've gone wrong at the school. Perfect. "Here's the deal, Aalene. A friend of mine needs your help."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, you see, he got that damn cure and it managed to _dampen_ his abilities." Pyro tried to explain the best he could in the time that he had.

"_Dampen?_" Suddenly, Aalene remembered Marie's-or rather, Rogue's-incident in the hallway and the puzzle pieces in her mine were falling into place. "Oh my god, the cure isn't working, long-term."

Nodding, Pyro continued. "However, he got four doses from those bastards so his power is really weakened." He looked at Aalene, wondering if she could figure out the rest of the plan without him having to tell her.

"And where do I come in?"

To be perfectly honest, Pyro was disappointed but he replied anyway. "I think if you harness enough energy and then transfer it into Magneto, he'll get his power back. Possibly more than he had, originally." Just talking about his plan, made Pyro excited.

Still not convinced, Aalene was suddenly a little uncomfortable. "Magneto? I-I don't know. He does some pretty wild stuff and I'm not sure if-,"

"If what? Those stupid people would agree?" Pyro pointed to the school with disgust and disdain. "Look, Aalene. Those people don't trust your or respect you. They're probably already trying to control what you are. Do you want that?"

Aalene hesitated.

"You have to know where your loyalties lay, Aalene. With them?" He once again directed her attention back to the school. "Or with me. Us. The Brotherhood." He held out his hand. "We all want the same thing. To live without fear."

It was a big decision to make. That morning, Aalene had almost controlled her dark side. That growing tumor that plagued her. And now, someone was giving her a chance to unleash that side and become what she really was. Tap into her potential she'd most likely never reach if Storm held her back like John said she would. And it was tempting, the bit about living without fear.

"Alright." Aalene went into her pocket and pulled out the lighter. She placed it in Pyro's outstretched palm and then placed her hand on top of it. "Come on, we may need to hurry." Looking around desperately for an electric device of some kind, Aalene found an abandoned cell phone. She gripped it tightly and drained all the energy she could from it. "I think that should be enough for flight. Where to, John?"

Pyro smiled. There it was again. This girl was intoxicating to him. "Well, Magneto wants to make use of our old base. I'll show you the way."

Despite herself, Aalene smiled as well. "I don't know…Can I trust you, John?"

"Absolutely, Aalene."

* * *

It took a moment for Warren to recover from the blast. He could see people running towards him-Marie and Kitty. Their faces were the definition of concern as they knelt down beside him.

"Are you okay?" Kitty was staring at the wound in his right shoulder, nose wrinkling at the sight of all the blood. "What happened?"

Warren still felt a little disoriented from Aalene's violent outburst. "I don't know. Aalene just suddenly got angry and shot me with all the energy she stole from the lights. I just wanted to talk to her." He finally took a good look at the wound on his shoulder and groaned. "I hate blood."

Under any other circumstances, Marie might have laughed but she figured it probably wasn't an appropriate time. "I'm going to go get Logan." She got up and ran back down the hallway, in search of her old friend.

Kitty stayed with Warren, anger building up inside of her. "I knew it. I knew she was no good. Look at what she's done!" Her pretty face scrunched up as she mulled over Aalene's actions.

Reaching out to take Kitty's hand, Warren tried his best to give it an encouraging squeeze. "Don't think that way. She'll come around." He gave a small smile.

That was Warren. He always believed that there was true goodness in everyone. That was why he had saved his father's life. Despite everything the man had put him through; Warren's belief in human goodness had won out overall. And now, this girl had blasted him with enough power to kill him, and he thought time would bring her around. Though the circumstances were solemn, Kitty let a small giggle escape.

"Hold on, Warren. Logan's coming."

Smiling, Warren stared at Kitty for a moment, before his eyes started to close.

"Warren! Warren, come on!" Kitty shook her friend, frantically. "Stay awake. You're losing a lot of blood but just try to stay conscious, okay?" She held onto his hand with desperation and turned around to where Marie had disappeared. "God, just hurry! Someone hurry!"

* * *

Pyro wanted to give a cry of excitement-or puke. And he really wasn't sure which. On one hand, he was amazed at hovering so high above all the buildings and people, and on the other hand, he was starting to wish he hadn't had a chicken fajita for lunch.

Seeming to sense his mixed feelings, Aalene lowered her altitude a little and looked at him. "Are we close?" Her eyes were trained on the scenery below. What was she looking for? A menacing fortress? Or was that way too obvious?

"It's underground. You'll have to land in a few minutes." Pyro was relieved to say it because Aalene was starting to look tired.

And alas, Aalene was starting to tire and was relieved as well. She stole a glance at her companion and let a small smile slip. She felt a little foolish. After he had kicked her ass at the bank, she had trusted him enough to follow him to some strange "base", where Magneto awaited her arrival. Maybe it was crazy…but everyone had always called Aalene crazy, anyway.

Within a few minutes, Pyro pointed at the ground. "There. Try to land in that clearing."

Aalene nodded, locking her sights on the small clearing about two hundred feet below her. Glancing at Pyro, she gave an evil little smile. "Hold on, tight, Pyro." Without anymore warning, Aalene dove towards the ground below, pulling up only a few feet off the ground and gently descending onto the dirt. "And here we are."

Trying to pretend like he hadn't just been scared to death, Pyro pompously walked around the clearing. "There was a rock here somewhere. If you push it down, there's an opening in a tree."

Skeptically, Aalene helped Pyro look. "How Scooby-Doo," She observed. As she continued to walk, she felt a rock press down beneath her foot, and a tree beside her revealed a door. "Oops, I found it."

"How Daphne." Pyro remarked sarcastically, and led Aalene into the tree.

It was small inside. To Aalene's surprise, there was no grand room that it opened up to. Nothing that resembled in air craft hangar like she would've guessed. It was a small space, the size of a closet. "Alrighty then. Impressive 'base'."

Laughing at her, Pyro pushed a button on the side of the wall. The compartment started to descend. "It's an elevator, Aalene."

Aalene pursed her lips as the elevator made its way lower and lower beneath the surface. Suddenly she was starting to wonder if she'd done the right thing. Well, obviously it wasn't the _right_ thing. But she thought maybe it wasn't the _smartest_ thing. Nervousness was trying to get to her and she moved a little closer to Pyro. He wasn't great moral support but at least he was something.

Noticing Aalene's nervousness, and that she had moved a little closer, put a smile on Pyro's face. He remembered when he had been like that. Just a little bit self-conscious around a master of mutants like Magneto.

As the ride grew longer and longer, Pyro took the opportunity to study Aalene just a little closer. The light in the elevator was dim but he could get a pretty good idea. Her hair was a little unconventional but being a mutant, her whole existence was unconventional. He loved how she wore an open weave sweater over a risqué-looking tank top, giving a vibe of aloof sexuality. He noticed, really noticed, that her pants were a little tight.

Finally, the doors slid open and opened up to an impressively high tech facility. "So _this _is the base." Aalene said, her voice a little hushed with awe.

"Welcome home, Pyro. And it seems you've brought back a friend!" Eric Lenssher, who was hoping he could once again call himself 'Magneto', stepped forward.

Pyro smiled with pride and stepped forward to stand beside his mentor. Aalene remained where she stood, trying her best to be strong and unafraid. "Magneto, sir." She managed.

Waving his hand in the air, as if to dismiss her words, Magneto laughed. "Dear, don't bother with formalities, here. There's way to much to be done." He smiled warmly as he looked into her eyes. "Now, what can you do, exactly?"

Anxiety dissipating just a little bit, Aalene walked over to a particular control panel and concentrated on its energy. Within seconds, she had sucked it dry. Closing her eyes, she found her center and sent the energy across the room in a magnificent blast. When she opened her eyes again, Magneto's warm smile had become an overjoyed grin.

Proud of herself, Aalene glanced at Pyro for a moment, feeling, for some reason, a need to impress him.

Magneto quickly noticed this and began to speak again. "Now, I need to know that you will follow me, no matter what. I need faithful followers and I need you to do whatever I say without questioning my reasons, understood?"

Hesitantly, Aalene nodded.

"Alright, then." Magneto said with mischief in his eyes. "Kill Pyro."

Taken aback, Aalene just stared at the man and then down at her hands, and then at Pyro. She was at a complete loss, but one thing was for sure. She just couldn't do it.

Expecting this response, Magneto gave a laugh that had a solemn ring to it. "Child, it is not wise to show one's weakness so early in the game."

Not knowing what to say, Aalene just looked at Pyro who was looking back with a similar expression.

What kind of dangerous game was Aalene playing?


	5. What's in a Name?

**Hey everybody, Lindsey here saying, MUAH! Geez, was that a major writer's block. Sorry about the delay the writer's block was an issue but so was time. I was at my friend's house for awhile because my mom was getting a mastectomy (sp) and she was at the hospital for awhile. And also, I've been busy because my budy is having relationship trouble (save me from THAT drama), my grandmother was in town, and now, my seemingly long-lost brother is in town. **

* * *

Aalene could feel her knees getting a little wobbly. "I-I'm sorry." She looked back at Magneto. She knew his powers were weak but fear for a person does not fade in different circumstances.

With a shake of his head, Magneto walked over and slipped his arm around Aalene's shoulders. "Don't worry about it, my dear. I never expected you to actually do it." He looked from Aalene to Pyro with a small smile. "I would never truly ask you to kill another mutant, unless they stood in our way."

She should have been feeling relief. But she didn't. Sure, she was glad that she wouldn't have to kill her only ally, yet she was still afraid. Maybe she would not have to kill Pyro. But what horrendous things _would_ Magneto have her do?

I caught Pyro's gaze of sympathy and he quickly turned back to Magneto. "Alright, we all know why Aalene is here." He gripped his left wrist with his right hand, in front of him. "Shouldn't we get this show on the road?"

Magneto smiled wisely at Aalene. "He's always like this. Always in such a hurry. With young people today, it's all about instant gratification." He looked at his watch and sighed. "But he's probably right. If we want to be on schedule, we should begin shortly."

Swallowing hard to moisten her dry throat, Aalene nodded. Since the moment she had entered the base, words had eluded her. But she found them to be useless here, anyway. She felt like all of this was just a twisted game of follow the leader. _But make sure you trust the leader._ The thought entered her mind before she could suppress it.

With a low, deep laugh, Magneto led Aalene down a long hall. "Now, this might seem a little scary to you but don't panic, my dear girl." He gave her some kind of version of a fatherly smile.

Uncomfortable and nervousness now enhanced, Aalene tried to return the smile but it came out wobbly and uncertain. "Alright." She tried to keep calm as he led her down a hallway and turned to a door on their left.

Magneto had been right. Just a quick glance at the room made Aalene want to scream and dart back down the hallway. It had a sinister look to it. There was a chair, completely metal, in the middle of the room. And a table to the right with a single metal box on it. No immediate danger was displayed but Aalene sensed menace in the air. She cleared her throat nervously and stepped inside.

Immediately taking control of the operation, Magneto walked to the chair and sat down, giving him what seemed an even more threatening air. "So, Pyro thinks that you may be able to transfer stolen energy into my body to strengthen my powers. I'd like to test his theory."

Aalene shifted nervously from foot to foot as she gazed up at the powerful mutant before her. "I guess we could try. But, in order to return you to your former glory, it would take a lot of energy and around fifteen minutes." As she warned him about the resources she required, Aalene began to process. She could feel her energy growing as she stole it from all around her. All of the technology that surrounded her was full of it, so magnificent and beautiful. She could feel it filling her body, giving her a power few could even dream of.

It was almost sad to let it go. Like Aalene was losing part of herself. Reluctantly, she placed her hands on Magneto's forehead and let the energy rush from her body, into his. Tears spilled from her eyes during the process. She never imagined it would hurt this much.

Pyro watched the procedure and felt something inside of him ache. He could see the tears falling from Aalene's eyes and he wished they'd stop falling. He felt something when he saw them. And it meant he was weak and vulnerable. Or, so he felt.

Trying desperately to control the pain and the flow of energy, Aalene continued to procedure. She could feel her own power dwindling and she realized she was using her own energy. Her own life. The realization scared her and she let go, quickly.

Stumbling backwards, Aalene knew she had pushed her limits. She could feel her limbs becoming too heavy for her to hold up. Black splotches were eating away at her vision and she swallowed down a cry of distress. She knew she was losing consciousness and the knowledge both intrigued and scared her.

Pyro, noticing Aalene's situation, dove for Aalene, trying to catch her before she hit the hard floor. He succeeded and held her, her hair brushing the floor as he tried to hold her head up. He looked at her, worried, for a moment. Then, he remembered Magneto and looked up, expectant.

Magneto was staring down at his hands. "That was an incredible experience." He finally said. Climbing to his feet, he smiled at Pyro. "Let me test her abilities." He whirled around and held his hands out to the chair. Almost immediately, the chair crumpled, like a simple ball of paper. His smile widened. "Amazing."

Nodding, Pyro looked down at Aalene. "I told you she could do it, didn't I? She's incredible. She's…beautiful." He lifted her a little bit more, watching her as she slept, recuperating from the strain.

"Indeed." Magneto concurred, a hint of a smile on his face, coming to a silent conclusion. "Her powers are incredible." His eyes lingered on her face, trying to memorize every feature. "I have something for her." He turned and went to the table, opening the lid of the metal box. Gingerly, he lifted two silver bracelets out of it and brought them over to the unconscious girl. Carefully, he lifted her wrists and snapped the bracelets on.

Pyro glanced up at Magneto, questions in his eyes. "What are those for?"

Magneto shook his head. "Nothing, really. A token of appreciation. A sign of her power." He gave a small laugh. "This one is powerful alright, but surely not tame." He reached down and traced a scar near her right eye. "Maybe you can make our guest feel a little more comfortable." Sighing, "She seems rather tired."

Nodding, Pyro stood up and carried Aalene out of the room. He took a few turns and came into a room that Magneto had reserved for the new guest. It was nothing extravagant. Just a place where she could rest. He walked over and placed Aalene on the bed. She sighed a little in her sleep, and it seemed cute, almost. Noticing for the first time the scar Magneto had called attention to, Pyro reached out and pressed his finger against it, as if trying to erase the pain for her.

Stirring, Aalene opened her eyes slightly and looked up at Pyro. "God, did you get the license plate number?"

He gave her a quizzical look.

"Of that freakin' bus that just hit me." She managed a weak laugh and a sarcastic smile.

Laughing, Pyro observed silently, how much he liked Aalene's smile. "Yeah, that little stunt really seemed to take it out of you." He shrugged. "But I'm sure it's nothing a good rest wouldn't help."

Aalene sat up. "Yeah, you're probably, right." She brushed her hair back. "Can I ask you a question?" The look in her eyes let Pyro know that the question wasn't something simple.

"Yeah?"

Her eyebrows knitted together. "What's your name?"

The question confused Pyro. He looked at her, at a complete loss. "I-I don't get it."

Sighing, she inched closer to the edge of the bed and motioned Pyro to sit down next to her. As he complied, she continued. "It's just…you told me to call you John. But Magneto calls you Pyro. Which one is your real name?"

Pyro hesitated. "I guess it depends on who you ask-,"

"No, it doesn't John." She brushed a lock of blue hair over her shoulder. "Which one do you feel?" She pointed to his heart. "Which one does this answer to?"

That shocked Pyro into silence. A rare occurrence. "I don't know." Earlier, Pyro would've said his mutant name. But something about the way the girl had said 'John' confused his answer. Two completely sides of him were at war.

At Pyro's silence, Aalene smiled. "I once heard about this survey they did. They asked all of these little kids what they thought love meant. One answer stood out among all the others. The little kid was about four and he said that love is when someone says your name, you know it's safe in their mouth."

Catching what she meant, Pyro inched his hand a little closer to hers. "John."

* * *

**My biggest fear about that chapter was I made it too mushy. I know it's short and, frankly, not my best work. I apologize but after the long heitous, I just wanted to get something out there for you guys.**


	6. Dangerous Attractions

**Gah, I noticed an embarrassing typo in that last chapter. I talked about the character in the first person. My apologies. I was writing a short story at the time-first person. I do that a lot when I attempt to multi-task. Sorry it has taken me this long to update. I was hoping to get the chapter up before I left for Mexico (where I couldn't get my hands on a decent computer) but alas, I failed….

* * *

**

Everyone stood in Warren's room, watching him sleep. Kitty was still crying, huge tears running to the tip of her nose and splashing onto the blankets. They had gotten Faye, a girl with healing powers, to come to Warren's aid and she had successfully healed his wound. Now, they were all waiting for him to regain consciousness.

Logan stared down at the boy and frowned. He knew that Storm shouldn't have brought the girl to the school. There was something about her he hadn't liked. He could smell something on her-something that just didn't seem right. He had smelled it on John, too. And they all knew the path he'd decided to take.

Faye, her fiery red hair in her face, lifted her head to look at the others around her. To their relief, she had a bright smile. "He's coming to, guys."

Sighing with relief and joy, Kitty walked closer to edge of the bed and took Warren's hand. "Warren?" The others couldn't ignore the earnestness-and eagerness- in her pretty features.

Eyelids fluttering open, Warren looked around at the people standing over him. At first, he seemed confused but then, the events of earlier seemed to dawn on him. "Well, if you're going to get blasted with stolen energy by a destructive mutant, you might as well do it at Xavier's, right?"

Storm let out a relieved laugh. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling well enough to joke, Warren." She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Get better soon, alright? I want to see you up and about." She turned a silently left the room.

Those who caught Kitty's admiring smile took the cue and turned to leave. Those more clueless were dragged out by Rogue. And, just like that, Warren and Kitty were alone.

Suddenly shy, Kitty looked down at her feet, feeling a blush starting on her face. "So, um, you feel better? I heard Faye is really good at what she does."

Warren shrugged. "Well, it's not like I suddenly feel like a million bucks. But for a guy who was just bleeding heavily all over the hallway floor, I think I'm doing pretty well." He reached out and took Kitty's hand. "Thanks."

Surprised by Warren's actions, Kitty gave his hand a little encouraging squeeze. "Thanks for what?" She felt something inside of her changing. Excitement and some unrecognizable feeling were welling up just below the surface. And she was fighting desperately to make it not look so obvious.

Managing a small shrug with difficulty, Warren gazed at Kitty with an unreadable expression. "For staying with me, there in the hallway. I felt like I had a guardian angel."

Kitty nodded. "It was nothing. I was worried about you." She glanced down at the floor, suddenly self-conscious and unsure of herself. When she looked back up, her eyes met Warren's. For a moment in time, everything on the planet seemed to fade away. All that existed was this room, two people.

Almost positive she knew what was coming, Kitty suddenly jerked back. Sharply pulling her hand away from Warren. "I-I have to go. I'm glad you're feeling better Warren." Her words were so run together they almost seemed like one. She turned on her heel and darted from the room, not giving Warren any time to protest.

Falling back against the pillows, Warren frowned. Kitty's actions had surprised him, but what surprised him more was what he was suddenly feeling. In his eyes, he saw the girl differently. Trying to ease his mind of the complicated thoughts, he closed his eyes, and sighed.

* * *

Rogue sat in her room, tracing her gloved fingers along the embroidery on her pillow. Jubilee had made it for her when she was bored. In curly red letters, it said "Marie". But she was no longer that person. Maybe she never had been. Her powers were back. She was Rogue, once again. A tear slipped from her eyes, left over from the flood earlier that day, and landed on the pillow.

"Hey, Kid." The gruff voice needed no identification.

Without looking up, Rogue replied. "Hi, Logan." Her voice was barely above a whisper, as she struggled to keep her emotions out of her tone-without much success.

"Can I come in?" For some reason, he thought he should ask for permission, even though he usually didn't bother with manners.

Shrugging, Rogue still didn't bother looking up. "Sure." Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red and puffy, but she didn't care. She was lost in her own thoughts, her own miserable ponderings.

Slowly strolling into Rogue's room, Logan sat on the edge of the bed, beside her. "Look, I can't begin to imagine how you're feeling right now." He sighed and scratched his forehead, trying to find more words. "I guess all I can say is that I'm here. You know, if you want to talk."

Rogue looked up and stared at the opposite wall. She still said nothing.

Concerned, Logan continued to sit with her. Maybe he had nothing to say but just having someone nearby might ease Rogue's mind, however little. It wasn't long before the tears came.

A huge tear slipped from Rogue's eye again and spilled down her face. Many followed and she was suddenly shaking with sobs. No words were spoken as Logan held her close. _Just help her cry, _he thought. _Just help her cry.

* * *

_

Aalene looked at herself in the mirror. Magneto, overjoyed with his newly-restored abilities, had presented her with new clothes-most likely stolen. Eager to get out of Rogue's clothing (for obvious reasons, following the Bobby incident), she quickly changed into a black tank top and green cargo pants.

"Beautiful, my dear."

Catching sight of Magneto in the mirror, Aalene smiled a little. "I guess I have you to thank for that. I was getting sick of wearing Rogue's clothes. Not very fond of that basket case."

Magneto walked forward and put his hands on Aalene's shoulders, almost like a fatherly gesture and gave her a smile in the mirror. "Oh, don't mind her. She just can't accept what she is. And what she is supposed to be." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Not like you."

Pulling back a little, Aalene fidgeted with the bands on her wrist. "I was curious about these, though, Magneto." She held her wrists up for him to have a better look. "I don't remember having these before. And I can't seem to get them off."

Something seemed to flicker across Magneto's features for a moment, but it quickly passed. "Oh, there something I made a long time ago. In case someone like you ever came along."

Sudden confusion caused Aalene to take a step back. "Someone like me? Exactly what am I like?" A discomfort suddenly became evident in the room.

"Don't take that as a bad thing, my dear. I only meant that your power is something to admire. These bands are only meant to help you better channel it and to signify that you are special. Because you are. Don't ever let anyone make you think otherwise."

Silently, Aalene nodded, accepting his answer hesitantly. Even though the words were meant to comfort her, they only caused more discomfort for the girl. They sounded too rehearsed. Like he had used them on another-or maybe _others_-before.

The silence persisted and Magneto finally left Aalene alone in the room, still studying herself in the mirror, wondering for the second time if this was really a good idea.

* * *

John studied his old lighter for a moment before flicking the top off and clicking it on the make the flame appear. He could almost feel Aalene's lips against his when he looked into the fire. The kiss had been brief-interrupted, actually, by Prophecy. But it was enough. He had felt something in it. Power, fire, beauty, pain, bliss. The contrast was sharp, yet intriguing.

So caught up in his own thoughts, John hadn't noticed the fire growing as his mind wandered. Finally, his eyes caught the glint of the glowing flame, and he quickly snuffed it. It seemed that whenever Aalene entered his mind, something burned inside of him. That something seemed to fuel his abilities with fierceness and passion.

Maybe it was coincidence.

Or maybe it was fate.

It seemed like their paths were supposed to cross. Maybe there was some purpose to their meeting.

Or maybe it was wishful thinking.

He just wanted those green eyes to be important. To mean something. Not just to him but to others, as well. John was almost _longing_ for their meeting to be of some importance. Something had to come of it or nothing would make sense anymore.

_Listen to yourself!_ John felt like another side of him was battling his thoughts. _Since when did you act like this? What has this girl done to you? _

The truth was he had no idea. Ever since their paths had crossed in that bank, he'd had trouble functioning. He was constantly fumbling, his mind was always elsewhere. John was overcome by something that he didn't quite understand. Some emotion unfamiliar to him. He didn't want to call it love. It was more like infatuation. Aalene intrigued him, much like fire.

"John?" It was Aalene, standing in the doorway. She was dressed in her new clothes and her hair looked like she had brushed it. As her eyes met his, she entered the room and sat down next to him. "I know this is going to seem like a stupid question but…what now?"

John gave her a strange look, unsure of the question she was asking. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Aalene leaned back a little and sighed, "I'm in the Brotherhood of Mutants. I am now on what the rest of the world sees as the bad guys' side. But what does that mean? What do we all do now?"

The question seemed valid, just a little surprising. "Hm, well, I'm sure Magneto has something in mind. And if he doesn't, he will soon." John was sure of that much. Magneto's evil genius had been dormant for much too long. It was almost a certainty that something would come to him soon.

Finally, something in Aalene snapped. She looked at John with eyes full of something that he didn't recognize. "Is it alright to be a little afraid?"

Compassion and empathy were not emotions that John felt very often. But suddenly, they both hit him, at once as he wrapped his arms around Aalene. "I guess it is."

Maybe he was as well.

* * *

**Sorry this is short but I was kind of fishing for ideas on this chapter.**


End file.
